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PumpProducts.com would like to wish you and your loved ones a safe and happy Thanksgiving! It is a celebration of all of the best things about this country and I hope you are as excited as I am to eat some good food and spend time with family.

Now, Thanksgiving is my personal favorite holiday for several reasons. First and most obviously, the food is great. But it goes beyond that. Thanksgiving is not particularly religious or political; it has not been overly commercialized. Instead, this holiday elevates a relatively simple concept to pride of place: that of thankfulness for what you already have.

The pace of modern life makes it so easy to forget just how much you have. Much emphasis in our culture is placed on getting to the next stage or achieving new goals. Don’t forget to celebrate the little victories you’ve won, the lucky breaks you’ve been given and the relationships you have developed.

Oh and don’t forget about food safety! As an inspector, I care very much about proper food preparation – you wouldn’t want to miss out on the holiday because you get food poisoning..

History of Thanksgiving

Now there is some dispute among historians about when exactly the First Thanksgiving took place. As the holiday has grown in popularity and stature, groups from multiple American colonies claimed credit for the first celebration. Thanksgiving-type feasts, harvest festivals and other autumnal ceremonies of varying purpose and religiosity were not uncommon during America’s colonial history.

Most popular history traces the origin of what we now understand to be Thanksgiving to the 1621 feast at Plymouth Plantation, Massachusetts. The settlers at Plymouth were Calvinists who had traveled to the New World from England by way of The Mayflower and settled in Massachusetts to establish a new way of life. 

The Plymouth colonists had established cordial relations with native tribes in the area, notably the Wampanoag. The Wampanoag had even supplied the colonists with provisions during the first winter at Plymouth.

The famous native Squanto was instrumental in establishing a solid relationship between the natives and the Pilgrims. At various times, Squanto served as guide and translator for settlers exploring the area. He also taught the Pilgrims how to catch eel and cultivate maize (or corn).

The 1621 celebration took place sometime between late September and early November (records are fuzzy and historians disagree). The purpose was to celebrate the Plymouth Plantation’s survival and the good harvest. Members of the Wampanoag tribe gathered with the Pilgrims to feast on fish, wild turkey and venison. Thus Thanksgiving was born.

Foods:

Turkey of course is the centerpiece of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. America spends over 1 billion every year on Turkeys. A cooking method that has gained popularity recently is deep-frying the turkey, which can be delicious – but be careful! Deep frying can be a bit hazardous, so make sure you know what you’re doing.

My personal favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal is the sides: stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, yams, macaroni and cheese, green beans. It’s all good. But if you’re a more adventurous sort, you can try some of these recipes:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/60241/10-unconventional-thanksgiving-dinner-options

For more traditional side dish recipes, try these great options:

http://www.southernliving.com/food/holidays-occasions/thanksgiving-dinner-side-dishes 

http://www.countryliving.com/food-drinks/g1395/best-thanksgiving-recipes/

Of course, one of the interesting things about Thanksgiving food (and American cuisine in general) is the regional differences. Many communities add dishes to the traditional Thanksgiving meal that represent the local culture. For instance, gumbo and jambayala can be found at many a Louisiana Thanksgiving.

Many regions also put a local spin on the standard Thanksgiving foods as well. That’s why the Southwest loves cranberry sauce with chipotle peppers and why stuffing with oysters is common in New England.

It’s all a part of the rich tapestry of America. If you’re interested, here are some regional recipes from Epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/archive/holidays/thanksgiving/american-regional

Did You Know?

From the time of its inception, unofficial Thanksgiving celebrations took places across the country, although not always at the same time and not always annually.

In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared that the official Thanksgiving holiday would take place every year on the final Thursday of November. In 1939, however, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt wanted to push Thanksgiving up to the next-to-last Thursday of the month. His reasoning was thus: in the midst of the Great Depression, merchants could use a critical boost by expanding the holiday shopping season in the run-up to Christmas.

The move caused considerable controversy with many localities celebrating on the final Thursday of November regardless of federal opinion. In 1942, the Senate passed a joint resolution fixing Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday in November; most years the holiday falls on the last Thursday of the month, as is the case this year.

Volunteer

Being truly thankful often makes people reflective of others who might not have as much to be thankful for. Unsurprisingly, Thanksgiving is the biggest volunteer day in the U.S, with droves of people all over the country volunteering time and money to help others.

Food drives and serving at homeless shelters are probably the most popular ways to participate in charitable efforts, but there are other things you can do as well. Check out Volunteer Match or the Salvation Army website to get involved with specific volunteer efforts in your area. 

Fun Fact

Interestingly enough, many people across the country used to celebrate Thanksgiving in much the same manner that we celebrate Halloween today: wearing masks and costumes and cavorting through the streets to cause mischief. It was much more of a party atmosphere, compared to the quieter, more family-oriented celebrations we have today  .

Here’s a fascinating story about the long-forgotten custom from NPR:

 http://www.npr.org/sections/theprotojournalist/2014/11/19/365195079/when-thanksgiving-was-weird

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!